Present techniques for packaging sewing machine needles permit only a limited amount of automation of the packaging process. The packaging type most widely used for industrial sewing machine needles is a box packed with varying quantities of needles, 100 being a typical quantity. However, advantages would accrue to users of industrial needles if the needles could economically be packed in small quantities, e.g., 5 to 10 enabling better cost control and easier distribution at the user's sewing facilities. For household sewing machine needles, blister packs (cards) and small container packs have been used, with each pack containing about 3-10 needles. For both household and industrial sewing machine needle packaging, a number of handling operations as well as counting and controlling functions are required, only some of which are performed by means of mechanized equipment. The blister packaging of household needles is the most expensive form of packaging, in view of the high labor and material costs involved and the need to still manually handle the needles until packed. Blister packs are suited primarily for a high priced market, yet they have the essential disadvantages of not being reusable or suitable for placement into the attachment box of the household sewing machine during the time of actual use.